'Well-liked' student's life cut short

A school photograph of Jessalyn Leong Source: Herald Sun

A MELBOURNE Girls' College student mowed down and killed by an out-of-control truck was 14-year-old Jessalyn Leong.

Friends have paid tribute to the teen on Facebook pages.

Melbourne Girls’ College confirmed Jessalyn was a Year 9 student at the school.

Assistant principal Linda Brown said the school had contacted her four closest friends and were offering students counselling.

Police are investigating the circumstances that led to Jessalyn being run down as she walked along the city-side of Church St, just south of the Bridge Rd intersection about 3pm yesterday.

Police say a white Mitsubishi tray-truck was heading north on Church St when the driver clipped the rear of a 4WD and lost control.

After mounting the footpath and hitting a bench seat and a rubbish bin, it struck Jessalyn, who became pinned under the vehicle.

She died at the scene.

Melbourne Girls' College Assistant principal Linda Brown said the news was devastating.

"She was an extremely well-liked student. She had a love of learning," Ms Brown said.

"When you see there is such promise and that promise is unfulfilled, it's very sad."

Ms Brown said it was not known whether friends of the student who were with her at the time were Melbourne Girls' College students.

"We are all thinking of the family at the moment and we are thinking of her friends as well.

"It's a very sad situation, I think, for everyone, particularly at this time when families are coming together to celebrate the Easter break."

The road toll stands at 62 deaths this year.

Police are urging witnesses to the incident, and also those who saw the white tray-truck on Church St prior to the collision, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

- with  Anthony Dowsley

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Bayley has a short fuse, say colleagues

A colleague of accused killer Adrian Bayley said he often talked about how he couldn't understand men physically hurting women. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

Video evidence shown to the court allegedly shows Adrian Bayley's movements over three days from a laneway, to an out-of-town petrol station and a suburban carwash.

ADRIAN Bayley joined his colleagues in lamenting Jill Meagher's disappearance, court documents say.

On the Monday after Jill vanished, he told colleagues his nose was cut and bruised when a Lebanese gang "jumped" him, they said.

Rangedale Drainage Services colleague Shaun Smith said Bayley, 41, was temperamental and argumentative. "He had a very short fuse and didn't like to be told he was wrong," his statement read.

Bayley was at work unusually early on the Monday and said he was going home because he had been sick all weekend.

Mr Smith said on the Tuesday he commented to Bayley, "How sad is it about this Jill?" and Bayley replied: "I know. It's sad, isn't it? I wonder what happened?"

Mr Smith said Bayley often talked about women. "He would say he couldn't understand how men could hurt women or be abusive."

But constant phone fights with his partner would change his personality. "He would be angry and aggressive towards everyone," he said.

Mr Smith, who had been out with Bayley and his girlfriend on the Friday night, said on the Saturday he discovered missed calls from Bayley between 12.50 and 1.20am --- about the time Ms Meagher was attacked -- and between 5 and 6am, when police say Bayley buried her.

Operations manager Jon Reed said on the Thursday Bayley approached him and said he'd had a call and had to leave. Mr Reed asked whether it had anything to do with Friday night, because of his nose, and Bayley said: "Probably."

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Airport Link broke as traffic falls short

BROKE: Operators of Airport Link, BrisConnections, have gone into voluntary administration. Picture: Adam Smith Source: The Courier-Mail

THE operators of Brisbane Airportlink have gone under with debts of more than $3 billion but the toll road will continue to operate as normal.

The board of BrisConnections called in voluntary administrators this morning, shortly before bank investors in the project appointed PPB Advisory as the receiver managers of the project.

It follows a trading halt last November when BrisConnections' CEO Ray Wilson revealed the company's debts were greater than the value of the asset.

Today, a statement given to the Australian Securities Exchange said BrisConnections had submitted "detailed restructuring proposals to the group's lenders but the majority of lenders were not prepared to support the proposals".

"It is disappointing that the Board has had to reach this decision," said BrisConnections non-executive Chairman Trevor Rowe.

"The Airportlink M7 is unquestionably a world class piece of transport infrastructure that will continue to support Brisbane's growth into the decades ahead."

FROM THE SKY: Airport Link in Brisbane.

Overblown traffic forecasts have been blamed for the project's financial failure.

Traffic forecaster ARUP projected that 135,000 vehicles a day would use the Airportlink a month after opening, growing to 190,000 within six months of operation.

In December, an average of 47,102 vehicles a day used the tunnels, which currently carry discounted tolls of $2 and $2.50.

Paul Turner from motoring group RACQ said the forecasts were "far too ambitious".

"It was unrealistic to expect Airportlink would attract higher traffic volumes than the Gateway Motorway (which carries about 100,000 vehicles a day)," Mr Turner said.

But he said there would be no initial impact for motorists.

"The tunnel has proven its worth in reducing congestion around Brisbane roads since its opening and the announcement that it will continue to operate as normal is good news for motorists," he said.

At last count, about 45,000 vehicles a day were using the $4.8 billion roadway, 90,000 fewer than forecast.

Traffic volumes have declined steadily since the end of the toll-free period, despite the introduction of a discounted toll.

The tolls of $2, and $2.50 are due to increase in mid-April before rising again in October.

Operators had hoped the staggered introduction of the full-toll would help boost traffic volumes.

It is the second tollway to go broke shortly after opening.

In February 2011, receivers were appointed to RiverCity Motorway, who operate the Clem7 Tunnel.

A buyer has still not been found for the tollway which carries about 25,000 vehicles a day.

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Short films spearhead tourism push

Tourism Australia is launching a series of short films showcasing Australia's best nature experiences, people and wildlife. Source: Supplied

• Gallery: Sydney Harbour, National Landscape
• Tourism Australia is launching a series of short films
• Sydney Harbour has been added to a National Landscapes program

AUSTRALIA'S best nature and wildlife experiences will be showcased in a collection of short films which will be shown around the world.

Tourism Australia today launched the Wildiaries National Landscapes Series featuring 16 short films which will be rolled out on social media such as Facebook and on its website.

Sydney Harbour also became the 16th area to be added to Australia's National Landscapes program - a partnership with Parks Australia which recognises places of great cultural, natural and spiritual significance including World Heritage-listed sites.

The Sydney Harbour National Landscape stretches across 1000sq km of beaches and rivers, islands and bushland from Royal National Park in the south to Barrenjoey Headland in the north and west to Parramatta Park, taking in the Georges, Hawkesbury, Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers.

Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson and Environment Minister Tony Burke announced the new tourism push for Sydney's spectacular Harbour.

"It is fitting that spectacular Sydney Harbour joins Australia's National Landscapes collection, which now showcases 16 iconic Australian environments and their people, from the Red Centre to the Great Barrier Reef and to Tasmania's Island Heritage," he said.

Sydney Harbour named as a National Landscape.

Australia's National Landscapes program - Kayaking on Sydney Harbour.

"With our world-famous harbour at its heart, this landscape is the first glimpse that welcomes 42 per cent of international visitors to Australia.

"Sydney Harbour offers a taste of the uniquely Australian natural and cultural experiences that our international visitors are looking for, particularly in markets such as China."

Environment Minister Tony Burke said visitors are spoiled with opportunities to discover Australia's Aboriginal and convict heritage and encounter native wildlife, right on the city's doorstep.

"When you have landmarks as iconic as the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, it's easy for people to make the mistake that they can take a photograph in each direction and they have seen Sydney Harbor," he said.

"The reason for recognising our Harbour on the National Landscapes is for people to realise there is easily a week of exploring you can do around Sydney Harbour and still find new experiences and life long memories every day.

Mr Burke said Sydney offered World Heritage-listed convict sites at Cockatoo Island and Parramatta's Old Government House as well as the one o'clock cannon which still strikes at historic Fort Denison.

Australia's National Landscapes program - Sydney Harbour.

"Beneath the busy water traffic lives a surprising wealth of marine life, with more than 580 species of fish and a chance to see whales, little penguins, dolphins, even kelp forests with sea dragons," he said.

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